n. a scale of 21 items, focused on examining a patient’s suicidal intent. More of an assessment tool, it attempts to identify how vulnerable a person would be to the idea of suicide and what risk these ideas pose. As such, it often necessitates a more detailed questioning of the patient on his or her intentions.
BECK SCALE FOR SUICIDE IDEATION (BSS): “The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSS) is a 21-item screening test recommended for patients who are at risk of committing suicide.”